Georgia to hold first-ever state language proficiency exam in 2026, minister

Georgia will introduce its first official state language proficiency examination in 2026, marking a “historic development” in the country’s education system. Registration for the inaugural exam will open on 24 November and close on 1 December, Minister of Education, Science and Youth Givi Mikanadze announced during a briefing at the ministry on Monday.

Mikanadze said most countries worldwide administer state language exams that certify candidates’ proficiency levels in accordance with internationally recognized standards. He noted that such certification was particularly important for foreign students, non-Georgian citizens with permission to work in public service, Georgians living abroad, and non-Georgian-speaking professionals employed in the business sector.

“The state language exam is essential for strengthening the status of Georgian as the official language and expanding its functional use,” Mikanadze said. He added that the exam was developed in line with the 2023-2024 Action Plan of the State Language Strategy and fully meets international standards.

The exam will be conducted several times a year and will assess four core competencies: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Initially, two levels of testing will be offered:

• One exam covering A1–A2 proficiency levels
  
  

• Another covering B1–B2 levels
  
  

Final level determination will depend on the total points earned by each applicant.

Starting in 2030, Georgia plans to introduce exams for the advanced C1 and C2 levels as well, with work on these formats already underway, Mikanadze said.

Registration will take place exclusively online through the National Assessment and Examinations Center’s (NAEC) portal at online.naec.ge. For visually impaired and blind applicants, exams will be available through Braille or specialized electronic software.

Certificates confirming language proficiency will be issued by the State Language Department based on exam results.